City council is mulling a do-over for Museum Square and a proposed plan for a long, medium and short-term development plan for the downtown core

City council will consider funding a downtown development plan at a cost of $100,000 to figure out the needs in both the short- and long-term development of Woodstock’s downtown core.

A new report proposes the initiation of a comprehensive study of issues impacting the downtown and would seek “clear, actionable recommendations” to inform any future decision-making as it relates to the downtown.

At a February 15 council meeting, councillors referred a request for $100,000 for a downtown development plan to their upcoming budget deliberations.

“I believe going forward having a definitive plan in place will help staff and council make more informed decisions and increase co-ordination between all of the various efforts focused on the downtown,” said Brad Hammond, the city’s development officer.

Despite a growing population, geographic area and economy, Hammond said in his report to council that in recent years the core usage has switched largely from retail to office and service uses.

“Although the city has taken many key steps to enhance the community’s main street it is clear there remains more work to be done,” the council report read. “Additional measures and efforts are needed, and improved co-ordination between existing efforts are necessary, in order to ensure the heart of the city remains relevant to the growing community and is seen as a desirable location for new investment.”

The city currently owns nine buildings in the downtown core and 10 municipal parking lots, with 552 parking spaces.

Hammond said in the past couple of years the city has acquired real estate including 485 Market St, disposed of real estate including the Reg Hall building, leased land for new parking at the Church of the Epiphany and is now at the start of re-imagining Museum Square.

“Each of these decisions are able to stand on their own merit but having a plan is likely to be helpful for longer term planning and leveraging the assets we already have,” he said.

City councillors also reviewed a Museum Square revitalization plan on Thursday and will move onto the next step toward renovating the square by soliciting public feedback on the concept plan.

The Museum Square would be branded as “a catalyst for downtown success.”

“Increasingly, Museum Square has seen a greater diversity of uses that the original design did not anticipate,” wrote Brian Connors, director of parks and recreation, in a report to council. “The need for this park to be an anchor for the downtown core has led to the investigation of a redevelopment.”

While fountain will remain, the proposal includes a stage and screen, a life-sized chess board and a re-imagined fountain area with additional alternating jets, as well as a large event space.